What Camp Young Judaea Midwest does

Camp Young Judaea Midwest (CYJ Midwest, DBA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Jewish overnight summer camp headquartered administratively in Northbrook/Chicago, Illinois, with its physical camp located on an 80+ acre lakefront property on Stratton Lake in Waupaca, Wisconsin. Founded circa 1969-1970, the organization runs two summer sessions serving approximately 130 campers per session and roughly 200 campers total each summer, drawing from over 10 U.S. states as well as France, Israel, and Mexico. The camp serves Jewish children in grades 2-9 with an elective-based activity program (water sports, archery, high ropes course, zip line, arts, drama, digital media, soccer, basketball, swimming) combined with a pluralist "Connected Judaism" curriculum covering Hebrew, Israeli culture, and holiday observance. The organization is affiliated with the Young Judaea national Zionist youth network, ACA Camps, and JCamp 180, and operates a kosher kitchen, dining hall (Chadar Ochel), and air-conditioned recreation hall (Beit am).

The business model is a hybrid non-profit operating structure. Primary revenue is generated through camper tuition and registration fees for Session 1 and Session 2, supplemented by a diversified fundraising program that includes tax-deductible charitable donations, named scholarship funds (Diane Markowicz, Gertrude & Louis Green, Irene Sidel, Miriam Soboroff-Dena Steinberg, Ronald Harris Memorial), corporate matching gifts, gifts of appreciated securities, special-event fundraisers (birthday, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, race), RoundUp giving, a Legacy Society planned-giving program, and a Mess Hall Preservation Fund. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the website explicitly directs prospective families to contact the camp and references a "Making Camp Affordable" tuition-assistance program because at least 50% of campers require full or partial scholarship support. Distribution and go-to-market rely on community-led marketing: social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube), email newsletters, open house events, a Refer-a-Camper program, and direct online enrollment through the CampInTouch portal on the camp's website. CYJ Midwest also offers a year-round Madrichim in Training (MIT) leadership pipeline for prospective staff. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors with named officers (President Barbara Baumann, President Elect Jenny Beck, Treasurer Jacob Impellicceiri, VP/Secretary Bekki Harris Kaplan) and a Camp Director (Dan Ravitch).

Underlying technology is minimal and not a product surface. CYJ Midwest does not build proprietary software, does not maintain a public API, and has no AI/ML or data products; the core operating technology stack is limited to the third-party CampInTouch registration platform, a WordPress-based website, and standard social media channels. Operational capacity is sized at 11-50 staff, consistent with a seasonal residential camp model, and the organization operates only domestically in the United States despite drawing campers from three additional countries.

Name

Camp Young Judaea Midwest

Legal name

Camp Young Judaea Midwest

Website

https://cyjmid.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Summer Camp Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO), Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

Keywords

• Summer camp programs
• Jewish youth education
• Overnight camping
• Nonprofit youth services
• Identity-based camping

Headquarters

HQ city

Northbrook, Illinois

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Camp Tuition and Registration Fees: Primary revenue stream from camper enrollment fees. Families pay tuition for their children to attend summer camp sessions.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible charitable donations from individuals, alumni, and corporate partners to support scholarship funds and general operations. The organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
3. Named Scholarship Funds: Several named scholarship funds (Diane Markowicz, Gertrude & Louis Green, Irene Sidel, Miriam Soboroff-Dena Steinberg, Ronald Harris Memorial) that accept donations to provide financial assistance to campers.
4. Corporate Matching Gifts: Corporate matching gift programs where employers match charitable contributions made by employees.
5. Gifts of Stock: Donations of appreciated securities including stocks, ETFs, bonds, and mutual fund shares.
6. Special Event Fundraisers: Birthday, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and race fundraisers where campers and families raise money for camp.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Camp Young Judaea Midwest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Jewish overnight summer camp located in Waupaca, Wisconsin, providing residential summer camp experiences for Jewish youth in grades 2 through 9. The program integrates traditional camp activities with Jewish cultural, educational, and Zionist programming, and the organization operates a winter office in Chicago, Illinois to support year-round engagement.

Product overview

Camp Young Judaea Midwest is a traditional Jewish overnight summer camp offering a unified camp experience rather than a platform architecture. The organization operates seasonal summer sessions (Session 1 and Session 2) serving children in grades 2-9, along with a year-round staff development program called the Madrichim in Training (MIT) Program. Their core offering centers on an elective-based activity program featuring over a dozen activities including water skiing, tubing, archery, high ropes course, zip line, arts, soccer, nature, drama, basketball, digital media, and swimming. The camp provides a pluralist Jewish approach that allows campers to make informed choices about their connection to Judaism and Israel. Facilities include an 80+ acre lakefront property in central Wisconsin with dining hall (Chadar Ochel), kosher kitchen, and air-conditioned recreation hall (Beit am).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jewish Overnight Summer Camp Program Residential overnight summer camp for Jewish youth in grades 2 through 9, held at the Waupaca, Wisconsin camp site, combining traditional camp activities with Jewish cultural, educational, and Zionist programming.
• Year-Round Youth Programming Year-round programming operated out of the Chicago, Illinois winter office to extend camper engagement, community connection, and Jewish educational activities beyond the summer season.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80+ acre waterfront facility with Stratton Lake access
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Forward TogetherminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJewish organization partnership for shared mission alignment. Appears in footer logo section indicating collaborative relationship.
• JCamp 180coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJewish camp association providing resources, training, and support for Jewish overnight camps. CYJ Midwest is affiliated with this organization.
• ACA Camps (American Camp Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational camp accreditation and standards organization. CYJ Midwest is affiliated with ACA Camps.
• Young JudaeacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent Zionist youth organization providing oversight, programming resources, and brand affiliation. CYJ Midwest is part of the Young Judaea network of camps including Camp Young Judaea Texas, Sprout Lake, Camp Judaea, and Camp Tel Yehudah.
• Jewish Camp (JewishCamp.org)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJewish camping initiative and resource organization.
• USA Water SkiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater sports association providing programming support for water skiing and tubing activities at camp.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• JCamp 180: Jewish camp association providing resources, training, and executive support to affiliated Jewish overnight camps including CYJ Midwest. Enabling organization rather than a direct competitor.
• American Camp Association: National accrediting body for camps that CYJ Midwest is affiliated with. Industry-level association relevant for peer benchmarking but not a direct operational competitor.

Direct peers

• Camp Tel Yehudah: Young Judaea's teen leadership camp that serves as an upper-age progression pathway for CYJ Midwest alumni. Directly comparable Jewish Zionist youth programming with shared organizational affiliation.
• URJ Camp Harlan: Reform movement Jewish overnight camp affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism. Directly competes for Jewish families seeking immersive summer experiences with denominationally-specific programming.
• Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake: Another Young Judaea sister camp in New York providing Jewish overnight summer programming. Directly comparable mission, governance, and program structure as part of the same network.
• Camp Sabra: Jewish overnight camp in the Midwest operated under a different denominational framework. Directly comparable traditional Jewish summer camp offering for the same family demographic.
• Camp Judaea: Sister Jewish overnight camp in the Young Judaea network serving elementary and middle school youth with pluralist programming. Closely aligned operating model and target family demographic.
• Camp Young Judaea Texas: Sister camp within the Young Judaea national network, offering a parallel pluralist Jewish overnight summer camp experience in Texas. Operates with the same Connected Judaism programming framework and shared brand standards.
• Camp Ramah in Wisconsin: Jewish overnight camp in the Conservative movement's Ramah network, also located in Wisconsin. Directly competes for Midwest Jewish families with overnight summer programming and Jewish education.

Broad incumbents

• JCC Association: National federation of Jewish Community Centers that operate day camps, overnight camps, and year-round youth programming. Broadly comparable Jewish youth programming model though not limited to overnight summer experiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CYJMidwest
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKrtwyM5kVuL_m7HILCVOwg/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/cyjmidwest
• Instagraminstagram.com/cyjmidwest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cyjmidwest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Camp Young Judaea Midwest